Rapper Jay-Z Arrested for Gun Possession

Grammy-winning rapper Jay-Z and three other men
were arrested early this morning outside a Manhattan nightclub and held
on charges of illegal gun possession despite the fact that only one
man was allegedly carrying a weapon.

"Once the facts come to light, Jay-Z will be fully
exonerated," the rapper's lawyer, Stacey Richman, said outside the
Midtown North Precinct where he and the others were questioned.

Jay-Z is one of many rap stars to be indicted recently.

Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, was detained shortly
after 3 a.m. when his bodyguard, Hamzah Hewitt, allegedly was found
with a loaded handgun in his waistband, said a law enforcement
source, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Police earlier had said the weapon was found inside the 2001
Chevrolet Suburban in which Jay-Z was riding.

Rapper Made Quick Appearance at Nightclub Before Arrest

Members of the police department's Street Crime Unit were
patrolling the neighborhood near the Club Exit nightclub on
Manhattan's West Side when they saw Jay-Z and two other men enter
the club while a driver stayed in the vehicle, the law enforcement
source said.

The rapper and his two friends were in the club for only about
20 minutes when they left and got back in the Suburban. One of the
Street Crime officers then allegedly saw Hewitt carrying a handgun
as he climbed into the front passenger seat, the source said.

As the vehicle pulled away from the club, police stopped the
vehicle and found the loaded, Glock semiautomatic handgun,
allegedly in Hewitt's waistband. All four were charged with
third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, police said.

Along with Jay-Z, 31, and Hewitt, 39, police detained Romero
Chambers, 43, and Tyran Smith, 28. Their relationship to the rapper
was not immediately known.

Today's incident was not Jay-Z's first run-in with the law. He
was indicted in January 2000 for allegedly stabbing a record
executive during a nightclub brawl. He has a court appearance in
that case scheduled for Monday.

The rapper's Vol. 2 … Hard Knock Life won the Grammy for
best rap album in 1999.